A Rising Star of Egyptian Politics?

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Victor Kotsev is a journalist and political analyst based in Tel Aviv and writes in the Asia Times Online (New currents in the Egyptian Revolution, May 3rd 2011) about the "new faces in Egyptian politics".

Among the less known rising stars is Dr Zahi Hawass - an archaeologist who is currently serving as minister of state for antiquities affairs. He has become something of a celebrity in both Egyptian and international media in recent months, and seems to be banking on the country's ancient history as a powerful unifying factor of national identity. The latter pattern is hardly a new development, and Mubarak himself had exploited pharaonic imagery widely in his campaigns. In a country which saw its golden ages thousands of years ago, a political and social narrative exists in tension with Muslim and Arab solidarity, glorifying the alleged descendents of pharaonic Egypt, and looking for them in rural areas which are supposedly more "pure" from later Arab influences. It is a tall tale by most accounts, but a powerful one. Particularly after the attacks on the Egyptian Museum of National Antiquities during the January protests, Hawass has gained in popularity. A court process against him has so far had little impact on his career. According to a source, while he is still not a major player in Egyptian politics, he stands to become one in the coming months and years.

Hawass for Egyptian president?